Leaving Reunion Bay, the members travel the final leg, together for the first time since leaving Travelers’ Rest. They drop off the Charbonneau family at their village and pick up Chief Sheheke and interpreter René Jusseaume. They meet several traders and gradually receive news, flour, whiskey, and woven shirts. The citizens of St. Louis, having given them up for dead, provide a boisterous welcome. The captains commence writing.
Synopsis Part 5
Fort Clatsop to St. Louis
by Harry W. Fritz
On 23 March 1806, once again battling the rising spring runoff, as it had each of the two previous years on the Missouri, the Corps of Discovery started up the Columbia River towards home.
Lewis’s Hunting Accident
Lewis's closest call
by Joseph A. Mussulman
The most serious hunting mishap, and surely the most memorable episode in Lewis’s frequently referenced “chapter of accedents,” was the moment on 11 August 1806 when Pierre Cruzatte shot him in the buttocks.
Reunion
Lewis and Pryor catch up
by Joseph A. Mussulman
After splitting up into five separate details over five weeks earlier, all the members of the Corps of Discovery were finally reunited 142 miles downriver from the mouth of the Yellowstone.
August 14, 1806
Among old friends
The expedition arrives at the Knife River Villages—one of which is the home of the Charbonneau family. The captains meet with various chiefs, and Clark invites them to travel to Washington City.
August 15, 1806
Broken promises of peace
At the Knife River Villages in present North Dakota, the captains hear of several broken promises of peace among the tribes with whom they had established peace agreements on the outward journey.
August 16, 1806
Parting gifts
At the Knife River Villages, a village gifts more corn than the boats can carry. A swivel gun is given to a Hidatsa chief and the blacksmith tools to Charbonneau. Sheheke agrees to go to Washington City.
August 17, 1806
An offer to raise Jean Baptiste
The expedition leaves the Knife River Villages without Pvt. Colter and the Charbonneau family. Clark encourages the Charbonneaus to come to St. Louis where he can arrange the education of Jean Baptiste.
August 21, 1806
At the Arikara villages
At the Arikara villages above present Mobridge, South Dakota, several councils are conducted between various Mandans, Arikaras, and Cheyennes. One of their 1804 engagés shares ominous news.
August 22, 1806
An engagé re-joins
Arikara and Cheyenne chiefs decline Clark’s invitation to travel to Washington City. With an engagé hired in 1804, they travel down the river and camp below present Mobridge, South Dakota.
August 28, 1806
A day at Pleasant Camp
The expedition arrives at an old camp—known as Pleasant or Plum Camp—below present Oacoma, South Dakota. They collect zoological specimens, make leather for new clothes, and pick plums.
August 30, 1806
Armed Lakotas
Clark recognizes several armed Lakotas from their 1804 encounter and tells them to stay away or be killed. They move on and camp in a defensive position near present Academy, South Dakota.
September 1, 1806
Calumet Bluff anniversary
Clark expresses relief when some Indians turn out to be Yankton Sioux who give news of the fur trade. In the evening, they camp opposite their Calumet Bluff council site of 1 September 1804.
September 3, 1806
News from home
Moving down the Missouri, they meet a group of traders who tell them that Jefferson is again president and that Alexander Hamilton died in a duel with Aaron Burr. They camp above present Sioux City, Iowa.
September 4, 1806
Floyd's grave
On a wet morning, the expedition sets out with ample tobacco and flour obtained from trader James Aird. They stop to visit Sgt. Floyd’s grave and camp early to dry out near present Dakota City, Nebraska.
September 7, 1806
Evaporating ink
Much of the day is used to hunt, find hunters, and harvest three elk. Clark notes the rate at which his ink dries out. They paddle 44 miles down the Missouri and camp at dusk near present Blair, Nebraska.
September 12, 1806
Given up for dead
At present St. Joseph, Missouri, the captains modify orders given to Pierre Dorion and Joseph Gravelines. An old military companion, Robert McClellan, says that they have all been given up for dead.
The Last Dance
What happened to the fiddle?
by Joseph A. Mussulman
On 8 June 1806, Meriwether Lewis wrote of that evening, “we had the violin played, and [we] danced for the amusement of ourselves and the Indians.” Presumably, Pierre Cruzatte was the fiddler. It was the last mention Cruzatte’s playing the violin. Why?
September 15, 1806
Lewis and Clark Point
On this “disagreeably worm” day, Clark and Lewis climb a hill in present Kansas City, Missouri and think it a good location for a fort. At the Little Blue River, pawpaw fruits are gathered.
September 18, 1806
Living on pawpaws
Finding that the hunters have killed nothing, the men declare they can live on pawpaw fruit until they reach the first white settlement—150 miles down the Missouri. Camp is near the Lamine River.
September 21, 1806
St. Charles hospitality
The boatmen paddle and row the 48 miles from La Charrette to St. Charles. They are greeted by the latter’s citizens with great cheer and hospitality. Lewis starts a letter to President Jefferson.
September 22, 1806
Fort Belle Fontaine salute
The expedition waits for the rain to stop before leaving St. Charles. They arrive at Fort Belle Fontaine, a military cantonment and Indian trade factory built after the expedition left St. Louis in 1804.
St. Louis by Air
The western gate
by Joseph A. Mussulman
The expedition arrived on 7 December 1803, witnessed the transfer of Louisiana from Spain to the United States, and metaphorically passed through its western gate on 14 May 1804. They would not return until 23 September 1806.
The Eighteen Toasts
Celebrating their return
by James P. Ronda
Two days after returning to St. Louis, its citizens celebrated the expedition’s return with a grand dinner and ball. Here are the eighteen toasts as reported in the Kentucky Western World.
September 26, 1806
Writing commences
In St. Louis, the expedition has ended, and in his concluding journal entry, Clark says “we commenced wrighting &c”. President Jefferson will give the story to The National Intelligencer.
